Swivel golf tee

ABSTRACT

A swivel tee which is ineffective for aligning a golf ball and golf club with a target hole in a tournament tournament having a slender cylindrical removable spindle for supporting the swivel tee on the ground of an outdoor golf course, the slender cylindrical spindle having a pointed lower end portion for forcing said spindle into the ground and an upper end portion which is adapted to rotatable attach an arm for rotating a golf ball about an axis which passes through a center of the slender cylindrical spindle; an arm for connecting the spindle to a spherical seat on the arm which supports the golf ball; and an obstruction on the arm ahead of the golf ball for deflecting the golf ball away from a target hole if the golf ball it is struck by a golf club in a direction which points to the target hole.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to swivel tees for golf tournaments.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Swivel golf tees spin golf balls when they are struck by golf clubs. They produce consistent results and increase driving distances. They also reduce golf tee breakage by eliminating stresses in gulf tees. Although they are superior to conventional single piece golf tees, they have one major handicap. They are prohibited by golf associations for tournaments, because they can be used as pointers to align golf clubs and balls with target holes. A swivel tee which cannot be used in this manner would be acceptable for golf tournaments.

U.S. patents Blair U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,814, Jan. 25, 1977; McCarrier U.S. Pat. No. 1,839,040, Dec. 29, 1931; Fraser U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,667, May 5, 1998; Philips U.S. Pat. No. 2,509,166, May 23, 1950; Fox D306,627, Mar. 13, 1990 and patent application Tan 2010/U.S. Pat. No. 0,160,088, Jan. 24, 2010 are exemplary of swivel golf tees in the prior art. Blair U.S. Pat. No. 4,004,814, Philips U.S. Pat. No. 2,509,166, and Fox D306,627 disclose tees with single seats that rotate about vertical axes. Tan 2010/U.S. Pat. No. 0,160,088 and McCarrier U.S. Pat. No. 1,839,040 disclose tees with a pair of seats that are rotatable about vertical axes. Fraser U.S. Pat. No. 5,746,667 discloses a tee with a ball that is suspended from a rotating transverse member.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The present invention is directed to a swivel tee for golf tournaments. The tee is acceptable because it cannot be used to align a golf club and golf ball with a target hole. The invention cannot be used in this manner because of an obstruction on the tee which deflects a golf ball when the golf club and golf ball are aligned with a target hole. A further feature is an illusion that a golf ball is floating in air because the tee is hidden behind the golf ball. The tee is hidden because the spherical seat on the tee is above and rearward of a spindle which is driven into the ground.

The location of the spherical seat also prevents tee breakage by preventing a golf club from striking the non-rotatable spindle. A further feature is that the spindle about which the golf ball rotates is removable and can be used in the same manner as a conventional golf tee. A still further feature is a stand which allows golfers to use the swivel tee in indoor driving ranges.

In employing the teaching of the present invention, alternate constructions can be adopted to achieve the desired results and capabilities. In this disclosure, although only 2 embodiments are disclosed, the disclosed embodiments are intended as examples only and should not be considered as limiting the scope of the invention.

Further features and benefits will be apparent by reference to the drawings and ensuing detailed description of a preferred embodiment which discloses the best mode contemplated in carrying out the invention. Exclusive rights which are claimed are set forth in the numbered claims following the detailed description of the preferred embodiment.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

The invention will be better understood and further objects, characterizing features, details and advantages thereof will appear more clearly with reference to the diagrammatic drawings and illustrating preferred features of the invention by way of non-limiting examples only.

FIG. 1. is a view of a swivel tee which is aligned with a target hole.

FIG. 2. is a view of a swivel tee taken in a direction of a sight line.

FIG. 3 is side view of the swivel tee.

FIG. 4 is a front view of the swivel tee.

FIG. 5 is a rear view of the swivel tee.

FIG. 6 is a plan view of the swivel tee.

FIG. 7 is a cross-sectional view of the swivel tee taken on the line 7-7 in FIG. 6.

FIG. 8 is a front view of the spindle of the swivel tee.

FIG. 9 is a plan view of the spindle.

FIG. 10 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of a conventional golf tee mounted on a practice stand.

FIG. 11 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the present invention mounted on a practice stand.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

Referring now to the drawings wherein like numerals designate like and corresponding parts throughout the several views, a swivel golf tee 20 is disclosed which is acceptable for golf tournaments. Another feature is that golf balls 21 mounted on the tee 20 appear to be floating in air. A further feature is a removable spindle 23 which can be used in the same manner as a conventional golf tee. A still further feature is a stand for using the swivel golf tee 20 in practice ranges.

With these considerations in mind, in FIG. 1 a swivel tee 20 and a golf cub 27 are shown aligned with a target hole in a manner which is prohibited for golf tournaments. The rotational axis of the swivel tee 20 passes through a spindle 23 which lies on a line 24 which passes through the centers of the golf ball 21 and target hole 22. Between the golf ball 21 and spindle 23 is an arm 25 which is aligned with the line 24. However, the swivel tee 20 has been made acceptable for tournaments because in front of the golf ball 21 there is an obstruction 26 which the golf ball 21 strikes and is diverted away from the target hole 22. The obstruction 26 is a key feature of the invention

The construction of the swivel tee 20 is best understood by reference to FIGS. 3 through 9. As shown in FIG. 3, the swivel tee 20 is comprised of the slender spindle 23 about which the golf ball rotates; the spherical seat 28 on one end of and arm 25 which supports the golf ball 21; the arm 25 which is attached to the spindle 27, and the obstruction 26 on the arm 25 forward of the spherical seat 28. The spindle 23 which resembles a conventional golf tee has a pointed lower end portion 29 for driving the spindle 23 into the ground and an expanded upper end portion 30 for rotatable connecting the spindle 23 to one end of the arm 25. The upper end of the spindle 23 also a spherical seat 31 and a pair of spaced apart shoulders 32, 33 which position the arm 25 on the spindle 23. The arm is assembled on the spindle 23 by forcing the arm 25 over the lower shoulder 33.

In FIG. 2, the golf ball 21, when viewed from a golfer's eye point appears to be floating in air. The spherical seat 28 on which the golf ball 21 rests is above and behind the spindle 23 about which spherical seat 28 rotates. The golf ball 21 appears to be floating in air because the swivel tee 20 is hidden behind the golf ball 21. The spaced apart location of the spherical seat 28 away from the spindle 23 prevents the spindle 27 by a golf club 27.

The curvature of the spherical seats 31 conforms with the curvature of the golf ball 21. The obstruction 26 on the narrow arm 25 is shaped like a rib but can be other shapes so long as it obstructs the golf ball 21.

The removable spindle which resembles a conventional spindle is shown in FIGS. 8 and 9. The spherical seat 31 in the upper end of the spindle allows it to be used in the same manner as a conventional golf tee.

In FIG. 10 a conventional tee 34 is shown mounted on an existing type practice stand 35 for use in practice ranges. In FIG. 11 a practice stand 37 is shown for using the present invention 20 in practice ranges.

From the above is clear that my invention provides a swivel tee which is acceptable for golf tournaments, novel and patent ably distinguishable from swivel tees in the prior art. Although only a single embodiment has been illustrated and described, other embodiments can be derived by such changes as shape, substitution, addition, deletion of parts that are obvious to persons skilled in the art without departing from the spirit thereof. 

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 3. The swivel tee as recited in claim 10 wherein said spindle is removable.
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 9. A swivel tee for rotating a golf ball struck by a golf club comprising a detachable slender non-rotatable golf tee at an end of said swivel tee, said non-rotatable golf tee having a first upper concave ball seat for accepting a golf ball, a vertical stem portion and a pointed lower portion; an arm rotatably attached to an upper portion of said vertical stem portion of said golf tee, said arm portion having a second concave seat extending upwardly from an outer end portion of said arm, said second concave seat rotating with said arm when a golf ball in said seat is struck by a golf club.
 10. A swivel tee for rotating a golf ball when said ball is struck by a golf club comprising a fixed vertical spindle at one end portion of said swivel tee, said fixed vertical spindle having a slender vertical body portion, a concave upper portion and a pointed lower portion; an arm a thereof, a thereof, said fixed vertical spindle having vertical golf tee, said vertical tee having a slender cylindrical body, a first concave seat upper portion and a pointed lower portion for forcing said spindle into the ground; an arm rotatably attached to said spindle upper body portion and extending laterally to an opposite end portion of said swivel tee; and a second concave seat portion extending upwardly from said opposite end of said arm.
 11. The swivel tee recited in claim 9 further comprising a vertical obstruction on said arm extending upwardly from said arm between said first concave spherical seat and said second spherical seat. 